Chipotle Burrito Bowl Copycat (Printable version)

A flavorful burrito bowl packed with tender carnitas, zesty rice, creamy queso, and fresh salsa for a satisfying meal.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Carnitas

01 - 2 lbs pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into large chunks
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 tsp salt
04 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
05 - 1 tsp ground cumin
06 - 1 tsp dried oregano
07 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
08 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 small onion, quartered
10 - 1 orange, juiced
11 - 1 lime, juiced
12 - 1 cup chicken broth

→ Cilantro Lime Rice

13 - 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
14 - 3 cups water
15 - 1 tbsp olive oil
16 - 1 tsp salt
17 - 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
18 - 1 lime, juiced

→ Beans

19 - 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
20 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
21 - 1/4 tsp garlic powder
22 - Salt and pepper, to taste

→ Queso

23 - 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
24 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
25 - 3/4 cup whole milk
26 - 1 tbsp cornstarch
27 - 1 tbsp butter
28 - 1 jalapeño, minced (optional)

→ Tomato Salsa

29 - 2 medium tomatoes, diced
30 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
31 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
32 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
33 - 1 lime, juiced
34 - Salt, to taste

→ Guacamole

35 - 2 ripe avocados
36 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
37 - 1 small tomato, diced
38 - 1 lime, juiced
39 - Salt and pepper, to taste
40 - 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

→ For Serving

41 - 1 cup sour cream

# Directions:

01 - Season pork with salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, and smoked paprika. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown pork on all sides. Add garlic, onion, orange juice, lime juice, and chicken broth; bring to a simmer. Cover and cook on low heat for 2 hours until pork is tender and shreds easily. Remove pork, shred with forks, return to pot, and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes to thicken sauce.
02 - Rinse rice until water runs clear. In a saucepan, combine rice, water, olive oil, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 18 minutes. Remove from heat, let stand covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and stir in chopped cilantro and lime juice.
03 - In a small saucepan, combine black beans, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Heat over medium heat until warmed through.
04 - Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in cornstarch and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk and cook until slightly thickened. Add shredded cheeses and jalapeño, stirring until melted and smooth. Keep warm.
05 - Combine diced tomatoes, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, and salt in a bowl. Mix well to blend flavors.
06 - In a bowl, mash avocados. Stir in red onion, diced tomato, lime juice, chopped cilantro, salt, and pepper until well combined.
07 - In individual bowls, layer cilantro lime rice, beans, carnitas, queso, tomato salsa, sour cream, and guacamole. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You finally nail restaurant-quality carnitas that are tender, juicy, and impossibly flavorful without any weird additives.
  • Every component comes together in one afternoon, so you can serve four people something that tastes like you've been planning it all week.
  • Build your own bowl means everyone gets exactly what they want, picky eaters included.
02 -
  • Don't skip browning the pork properly—those caramelized bits stuck to the pot are liquid gold when you deglaze with citrus, and they're what separates restaurant-quality carnitas from boiled pork.
  • If your queso breaks or gets grainy, you either added cold milk too fast or the heat was too high; cornstarch and low, gentle heat are your insurance policy.
  • Avocados change ripeness overnight in unpredictable ways, so make the guacamole as close to serving time as possible, or toss the pit in the bowl to slow browning.
03 -
  • Save the broth from the carnitas—it's liquid gold for reheating and tastes amazing in a simple soup the next day if you have leftovers.
  • Buy your avocados a few days ahead and let them ripen on the counter; you'll control ripeness better than hunting for the perfect one the morning you're cooking.
  • The queso is best served warm but not piping hot, so make it while people are still assembling their bowls rather than sitting on the stove.
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